Ran across this on You Tube. A prolific poster going by 10zen10 has created a music video with pretty bird images taken by photographer Daniel O’Byrne. It’s set to the music I helped create along with Craig Padilla and Zero Ohms a few years back, a piece called Realm of the Spirit, from the CD Beyond the Portal, released on the Lotuspike label. A nice meditation moment to begin the day today.
Interesting, how these video pieces using our music that turn up, unannounced. Released into the wild, the music finds it’s own path.
Download free music from Still Married today.
Just got a tweet from Cottonwood’s Erin Friedman that she’s posted a few of her authentic local original songs on her website for free listening or download today, Sunday. Check it out by clicking on the image above, or the link.
And forever begins with a kiss
Under the Sundial Bridge
Thanks Erin! Still Married, that’s Really Redding.
Relax -new old music
Relax2011 by SkipMurphy
The Redding Warlocks
The Redding Warlocks seem to be a psychedelic style jam band playing out around here. Below, “Ale House Dub” is an oddly hypnotic video with an appropriate live soundtrack that was apparently recorded at Redding’s Ale House.
I like it. There’s more about this original local band at their Redding Warlocks Reverbnation page. But not much more. Looks like you’ll need to see them live. Check out the video they have titled “Six Crap Shootin’ Pall Bearers.” A disjointed night road trip done Redding style. Status: Symbiotic Cacophony Orchestra? Play on, Redding Warlocks.
Manifestations -new unreleased old Redding music
Here’s another work from Craig Padilla that I performed with him back in the mid-1990s. I pulled this from the archives along with the piece I shared a few days ago, Snowfall. This Craig composition music is more symphonic electronica, although it builds gradually from a very spare rhythmic improvisation. It picks up with a perky bass line and breaks through with a very cinematic crescendo and overture. At 24 minutes long, it’s more typical of our work together at the time than the last piece. I adjusted the overall levels to conform to modern expectations of relative volume, but aside from that, it’s just like we played it around here back in ’94 or so. Very nice. Please enjoy. 
Manifestations2011 by SkipMurphy
Image of a Barn in Eastern Shasta County by Skip
Merle Haggard documentary gets a thumbs up
Palo Cedro resident Merle Haggard is the subject of this PBS documentary, available here. Below is an excerpt, but it leads you to the full version. Well worth your time.
Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.
Hag Fans are legion around here, but I admit I never got it. I first learned of Merle in the “Okie From Muskogee” years, which arguably isn’t his best work. Although he’s been a Shasta County local for a long time now, his music seems reflective of a style that was popularized elsewhere. This documentary changed my opinion, and gave me a new appreciation for Merle and his body of work. I intended to watch just a bit of it, but I found myself unable to stop until it ended. Kudos to the filmmaker, and to PBS for posting it. It’s given me a new-found appreciation that I never knew I could have in not only his line of work but the making of the documentary itself. I’m sure a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into this project, even the small things like using this DCP tool to edit the entirety of the film, as well as creating the sequence of ads that go before it. They should seriously think about showcasing it in small cinemas all over the country. It was that inspiring. You challenged my opinion, and expanded my appreciation for an artist with whom I had little familiarity. And a full blogger hat tip to Marc Beauchamp, who brought this film to my attention.
New old music – Snowfall
Redding artist Craig Padilla and I recorded this electro-ambient piece in 1994, or earlier, according to the sound file. It remained unfinished and “in the can” since then. More a sketch than anything else. I stumbled across it looking through some old material. Barely remembered. And wondered why it remains more or less unreleased. It’s a pleasant sketch, elaborated on today to just about 7 minutes. See what you think. Enjoy the snow on this sunny May day.
Snowfall by SkipMurphy
Electro-Ambient music from the ’90s. It’s the indigenous music of ReallyRedding.
Music and Passion
“Star Dive” at the State Theatre in Red Bluff
Craig Padilla recently uploaded a video made at his benefit concert performed at the State Theatre in Red Bluff from 2000. The show was intended to benefit both the State Theatre restoration project and the Red Bluff Skateboard Park, which was fundraising. The video, Star Dive, is classic Craig, and is fun to see again. Along with Venita Philbrick and others, I helped Craig produce the stage show, and did some lighting and soundwork. The video brings back some fond memories. The music stands the test of time. It still sounds great.
At the time, the State Theatre was not much more than a building with seats. The rescued remains of an old movie house. The stage had no lighting. We built a small setup structure out of ABS pipe (yes, sewer pipe!), and put up our usual low-budget lightshow. I suggested to Craig that he wear all white, so as not to be lost on the dark stage in dim lighting. At the last minute, Craig was able to talk Morpheus Lighting of Redding into donating some lighting for the show, and it made a huge difference. The videographer, whose name I don’t recall, sorry, mixed in the effects and projected it onstage. Awesome in person. The show was well attended, and we later got a nice thank-you letter indicating that the Skatepark had been built, along with the donations of many others. It was very gratifying.
State of the art back then, it looks pretty retro now. Crank it up!
Today, I see the State Theatre is still under restoration. Learn more at the State Theatre Restoration project. It’s a worthwhile project. The Cascade Theatre in Redding was in similar condition, and it’s subsequent restoration has proven to be the cultural spark that fires up the old downtown. We hope the same for Red Bluff.
Redding alt rockers Hollow Ln
Here’s a band performance image from the now closed Downtown Eatery. Hollow Ln is a Redding based (and Redding named) 3 piece outfit; guitar, bass, drum, and vocals. Tight, tight, tight, power trio originals are filled with thoughtful lyrics. Brandon Bausell works it hard on Vocals and Guitar. Nick Braun punctuates the tunes with insanely creative drumming. Not your 4 on the floor stuff! Max Bausell provides the solid basis for the often staccato melodies on Bass. Head over to Reverbnation and play their 12 well recorded demos all in a row. Awesome. Surprising. They’re playing Bombay’s March 23.